Through Persuasion or Something
by anticute
Summary: In which there is a somewhat slight alternate reality. And in said alternate reality, they're both older, the rich boy has no secrets, and all their buddies want them to hook up. Usui Takumi has no problem. Ayuzawa Misaki does.


i'm just dishing out these one-shots that have just been sitting here. this one is considerably less...intense of characterization and just light dialogue. it also requires some tweaks of your mind - you're to read as if it's a...some sort of alternate reality where misa-chan's poor, but not so deprived of some certain items (which will be seen later in the fic) and takumi's secret as the one with all the cash IS known. she still works at the maid cafe and takumi still harasses her just as ever~

also - you're to read it as if they're still new in...whatever relationship they have.

with that! enjoy~ i'll be out with more one-shots whenever i have more ideas.

alssoo - i would like to say i deeply appreciate all the reviews i've received. i totally understand that to review, takes effort. so i'd like to thank everyone for reading AND reviewing.

**THROUGH PERSUASION...OR SOMETHING  
**

_/pseudonymosity_

_In which there is a somewhat slight alternate reality. _

_And in said alternate reality, they're both older, the rich boy has no secrets, and all their buddies want them to hook up. _

_Usui Takumi has no problem. Ayuzawa Misaki does._

_

* * *

_

"So?"

"So what?" She snapped, rifling through her papers, before looking to her laptop. She had hoped he would leave the premises soon, given her dismissive manner. Maybe he would be persuaded to just lose interest or...something.

(Fat chance.)

And why the hell was Suzuna letting random strangers in?

(So. Okay. A person who has kissed you once, twice, and more is not a random stranger. Which means he is_ technically_ not random. Or a stranger. But technicalities aside: he's _totally_ a random stranger.

It isn't important that that technical technicality does not make sense. What's important that it's completely sound in her own head.)

"Are you really going to play this game, Ayuzawa?" He asked with an inquiring brow.

"Usui," she grated, "does it look like I'm into games right now?"

"We~ll," he drawled languidly as she continued working, "seems not."

He pulled out a wayward chair, moving it closer to her, "And I suppose I'm not into games either."

He settled down on the chair and drew his left leg to rest against his right knee. Really, he couldn't help, but admire her determination to pointedly ignore him. But other than admiration - he was also slightly miffed at that determination. Despite her claim that she wasn't interested in games - avoidance was a game of hers she played often.

But then, the fun is in the chase.

"Now that we both know you don't want to play, and _I_ certainly don't want to play...," he smirked as she worked even more furiously at the return of his voice, "maybe we can talk about me taking you as my date for the cafe's special charity event. I'm going, you know. I'm one of the contributors to the charity fund."

"Unlikely."

"That we'll talk about you as my date? Not at all. We're talking about it right at this moment."

"Bull about you not playing games, Usui." Misaki said as she got up, walking over to her bookshelf to retrieve a bulky manila folder.

"And bull about you not playing games too, Mi-sa-chan~."

"I'm not!" She defended immediately, looking at him with a sharp glare. He smirked at her and she abruptly broke any eye contact that could have occurred. Dangerous. Too dangerous.

"Ah - and there in lies your game strategy," he said smoothly, noting her hasty and erratic mannerisms.

"Shut up." Misaki muttered, as she returned to her desk.

"What's stopping you from going as my date? Not like any of the girls need you to dress up as a male to be their escort. Besides, Satsuki-san has already notified me of your going to the event. With a date."

She blinked at his words. And stood up violently to look at him with horror.

"_You're_ the date?"

("Pleeeaasee, Misa-chan? I know someone who's perfect for you! You can't be alone for such a special night!")

"Precisely."

"I knew I should have never, _ever_ agreed to her idea," Misaki groaned as she sunk despondently back to her seat, her face buried in her hands.

Takumi chuckled and grinned as her head snapped up to glare at him, "So. Tell me, Misa-chan. Why is the prospect of going with me to the event so utterly repulsive?"

"Not repulsive," She muttered to herself, "hardly."

"Hm?"

"It's not repulsive," She said, raising her voice considerably, "it's an inconvenience."

"I would hardly call it that - it's beneficial to both parties. You get relieved from Satsuki-san's prying Cupid ways and... Well, Maria's...taken to calling herself Aphrodite, of late. Matchmaking me to every woman she knows. So, I get relieved from prying hands on me."

He paused for emphasis and smirked slyly.

"Although, wouldn't mind it if they were _your_ hands."

"You perverted outer-space alien."

"I own up to it. This alien is your date."

"I could easily not go."

"Like you'd take that chance of Honoka-san's fury."

She blanched, "Her stilettos would be the murder weapon."

"Indeed," Takumi says with a chuckle. He grinned, as she just sat in her chair, glaring at him.

"So?"

"We're taking separate cars."

* * *

"This is _not_ separate cars!"

"Oh? Huh. See, I thought you meant, not _your_ car. Not that...contraption of yours is much of a car... Anyway. Not _my_ car. And a separate car entirely from yours and mine. And this _is_ different. I don't use this car very much."

She scoffed, "_'This car.'_"

"Good! I'm making you laugh already. Means the date is going well. Damn, I am good."

"That is besides the point! You...you _misinterpreted_! On _purpose_!"

He waved a hand as a gesture of dismissing her words, thereby irritating her further. She was seething now.

"We could stand here. For the entire night. And wait for Honoka-san's stilettos. Or. We could go."

"I'll wait for Honoka-chan's stilettos then, thank y-"

Her phone rang.

"Damn. It's like she knows," Misaki muttered as she recognized it as the aforementioned woman's ring-tone. She glared at his laugh as he opened the door, his eyes looking at her with mirth.

"No choice, do I?"

"You never had one, yes."

* * *

and that's where it stops, kiddies~ mainly because nothing else came after that. and it's a snippet from a fic of another fandomi'm involved in, but the situation suited Misa-chan and Takumi muuuccchh better. so i deleted that part from the other fic and rewrote this one~

i'm still working on some more one-shot ideas. this is actually the last of works-in-progress. i'm up for any requests anyone has? just PM me and i'll see if i can fulfill any requests~ this fandom is still growing, so i'd like to contribute to it :D

_Persuasion is often more effectual than force._

**- Aesop**


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